What Does That Mean?
by jbn42
Summary: Some things really are all in the interpretation.


**Author's Note: Total Fluff! **Fill for another LiveJournal Friday one word prompt "Interpret" for Wash and Elisabeth, and a look at their respective spouses. Note, this is set in the context of my other Wash/Taylor and Liz/Wash stories, but not necessary to read those for this to make sense!

**Disclaimer: **Not mine, no profit, just borrowing. : )

Alicia sits in a comfortable chair on the deck of her and Nathaniel's house, watching Nathaniel and Jim Shannon as they appear to disagree about something near the outdoor grill. She can't hear them because she won't allow Shannon and Nathaniel to do anything involving an open flame anywhere near the house itself. Of course, Alicia tries to avoid allowing Nathaniel to cook at all. If this grilling experiment ends badly, she has a casserole from the market in the freezer.

She's so focused on watching the apparent disagreement between the two men that she jumps when Elisabeth puts a pitcher and two glasses down on the table between Alicia's chair and the second chair on the deck.

"What on earth are they talking about?" The doctor drops into the second chair, her eyes now also on their respective husbands.

Alicia shakes her head, eyeing the pinkish colored liquid in the pitcher Elisabeth just put down. "I have no idea, and what the hell is that stuff?"

Elisabeth laughs and pours them each a glass, handing one to Alicia and keeping the other for herself. "That, my friend, is a recipe I devised to make that swill Boylan sells these days drinkable. It's fruity. Trust me."

With a raised eyebrow, Alicia gives the liquid a cautious sniff. "Jesus, Elisabeth, this smells like varnish."

"Yes, but _fruity _varnish." Elisabeth grins as she takes a large swallow of her drink.

Staring speculatively at her own glass, Alicia asks, "Are Maddy and Mark doing OK with the kids?" Alicia is referring to both Zoe and to Alicia and Nathaniel's four month old baby.

Elisabeth nods. "Yes. Maddy was making Mark hold the baby, telling him that they'll have one someday. Mark looked a little green around the gills, but was pretty much doing whatever Maddy asked. So, you know, things are pretty normal in there."

"OK. And you swear this stuff is drinkable?" Alicia continues to eye her glass.

"Of course!"

Alicia takes a cautious sip and has to cough a little. But then, she suddenly realizes that despite the strong smell of alcohol, the drink is surprisingly smooth. She takes a larger sip. The fruit juice is terribly sweet, but it somehow manages to work well with the rotgut liquor.

"Ooh, Jim is frustrated with Taylor." Elisabeth is once again focused on Jim and Nathaniel.

"Is that what the eye roll and the flailing hands mean?" Alicia looks back at the men as well.

"Definitely. Now Taylor narrowed his eyes and got very still. What does that mean?" Elisabeth takes another sip of her drink.

Alicia snorts. "He's getting irritated, I'd guess because your husband is failing to follow orders."

"Over how to best grill dinosaur steaks?"

Alicia takes another sip of her drinking, wincing at the taste. "Have you met my husband, Elisabeth? Man likes to be in charge. Doesn't matter of what."

"Touché." Another sip. "Now Jim appears to be trying to reason with Taylor."

"I wish him good luck with that. See that twitch above Nathaniel's right eye? That only happens when he's trying to be patient with someone he wants to deck." Alicia takes another sip, and she realizes the liquid concoction tastes better with each swallow. "This stuff is good, Elisabeth."

"I know! It's quite tasty. Maybe we can sell it in the market as a mixer." Elisabeth grins. "Oh dear. It looks like Jim just noticed Nathaniel's twitchy eye. I bet you he's asking about it; Taylor actually looks surprised."

Alicia snorts again. "He is. It's hilarious to me. Nathaniel likes having your husband and his cop skills at his disposal, but then he's surprised when Shannon actually utilizes said skills."

The men are now flat out arguing. The women look at each other for a moment. Elisabeth is the first to speak. "Should we go break that up, or should we just interpret the body language and what we think they're saying?"

Alicia giggles and takes another sip, feeling her head getting fuzzy. She really is a lightweight since having the baby. "The second thing."

Elisabeth nods decisively and refills their glasses. They then settle back into their chairs. "I take it we should each interpret our own husband?"

"Sounds good." Alicia pauses, watching Nathaniel stomp around and say something to Jim. She puts on her best Nathaniel Voice. "You have to brown the damned steaks on both sides, Shannon, or they won't cook through."

Elisabeth giggles too, and attempts to imitate Jim. While Alicia actually manages to sound a little like Nathaniel, Elisabeth's Jim has a high-pitched voice with a poorly-executed American accent. "Taylor, why can't you just let me cook? Elisabeth lets me cook at home, and Wash won't let you within 20 feet of the kitchen. Who is more trustworthy here?"

"It's not about trust, Shannon. And she lets me in the kitchen." Alicia hiccups a little but maintains her Nathaniel Voice.

"Letting you in when she needs you to kill a bug or get something off the highest shelf doesn't count, Taylor." Elisabeth takes another tug on her glass, and Alicia notices that Elisabeth's Jim Voice sounds more British with every word.

"She lets me cut up vegetables and fruit sometimes, too."

"Oh, well then, that's damn near Cordon Bleu."

"Nobody likes a smart ass, Shannon."

"Just calling it like I see it, Taylor."

"Then you clearly need to get your eyes checked, Shannon."

At this point, the two women are punctuating each phrase with a swallow of their drinks. Elisabeth's Jim Voice is now just Giggly, Drunk Elisabeth Voice, while Alicia's voice has actually gotten deeper with every sip.

They try to continue, but they both have started to giggle uncontrollably. A moment later, Jim tries to stab at one of the steaks with a long fork, but he manages to lose his grip on the utensil, sending it flying into the grill. Subsequently, embers fly up from the disturbed coals, making both men duck away as if they're being fired upon by an enemy.

That's enough to send the two now-intoxicated wives over the edge. Their giggles turn into full-on laughter, Alicia laughing so hard that she falls out of her chair. That makes the men finally notice Alicia and Elisabeth, and Jim and Taylor hurry over to them at the sight of Alicia sprawled out on the deck.

The looks on Jim's and Nathaniel's faces send Alicia and Elisabeth into more giggles. Instead of acknowledging the presence of the men, Alicia turns her face to Elisabeth, gesturing at Nathaniel. "Now that is his 'who are you, and what have you done with my usually very serious wife' face."

Elisabeth snorts this time. "And that is Jim's 'damn it, Elisabeth, I told you that drink was too strong' face."

The two men look at each other, obviously confused. Finally acknowledging him, Alicia looks up at Nathaniel from her place on the deck. "Hi honey. Is dinner ready yet?"

Her question sends Elisabeth into fresh gales of laughter, and she's followed quickly by Alicia. Nathaniel shakes his head and looks at Jim. "Shannon, I think we're being mocked." He turns his gaze back towards his wife. "Is that correct, dear?"

Alicia has tears of laughter on her face, and she just sits up and takes another drag off of her drink, which had managed to miraculously survive her tumble to the deck intact.

Elisabeth raises her own glass. "Taylor, we do not mock. We _interpret_."

Jim rolls his eyes. "What the hell is the difference, Liz?" Jim sounds irritated, but Nathaniel is suddenly laughing.

Jim and Elisabeth both give him a funny look. He just shrugs and says, "Maybe my wife can explain the difference when she wakes up."

The Shannons follow Taylor's gaze down to the deck, where Alicia has now curled up on her side, clutching her drink. She's snoring softly and actually looks quite peaceful.

"Shannon, you finish cooking dinner. I give up." Nathaniel leans down and scoops up his wife, and he settles into her chair, her in his lap, her drink remaining clutched in her hand.

Jim walks back to the grill, laughing. Nathaniel leans down and gingerly pries the glass out of Alicia's hand. He takes a whiff of the pink liquid in the glass and cringes.

Elisabeth leans over and tops off the glass. He continues to make a face at the glass. "Doc, this stuff smells like…damn, I don't even know what this smells like."

Alicia mumbles something into his chest. When he just says, "What?" Alicia mumbles it again.

He looks at Elisabeth, confused. Elisabeth giggles again. "Taylor, she said, 'It's fruity varnish, Nathaniel.' Then she passed out again. That last part means she's drunk." Staring first at Elisabeth and then at the barely half-full pitcher, he just takes a swallow of his fruity varnish and waits for it to kick in.


End file.
